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The Center for African Studies -CAS-

The Center for African Studies, part of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, and directed by Pr. Ali Benmakhlouf, is a teaching and a research center dedicated to research related to the African continent.

More than just a traditional academic institution, Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P) is a platform for experimentation, a breeding ground for opportunities, which students refer to as a “School of Life”.

Mohammed VI Polytechnic University

Mohammed VI Polytechnic University is an institution oriented towards applied research and innovation with a focus on Africa.

The university is engaged in economic and human development and puts research and innovation at the forefront of african development.

Um6p is a hub of knowledge dedicated to research, high-level education and innovation to support the development of the continent. our university is also committed to an innovative pedagogical approach which places learning by experimentation and practice at the heart of training and research.

Located in benguerir, near marrakech, in the heart of the mohammed vi green city, mohammed vi polytechnic university intends to shine on a national, continental and international scale.

UM6P Stars

We are pleased to share that Professor Ali Benmakhlouf, Director of the Center for African Studies (CAS) and the Arabic Classical Philosophy and Philosophy of Sciences (ACPPS) at UM6P, has been selected to join the European Research Council (ERC) Consolidator Grants 2026 evaluation panel, within the panel SH5 – Texts and Concepts.

Welcome to The Team!

We are pleased to announce that Alexis Trouillot has joined the UM6P – Center for African Studies (CAS) as an Assistant Professor (non-HDR).

Alexis Trouillot is an intellectual historian of the History of Mathematics in Africa. At the broadest level, his scholarship focuses on the discursive usages of the category of “science,” when and why certain kinds of discursive production are classified as “scientific”, and what assumptions underpin such a designation. In particular, his research addresses how historical and present-day discourse around scientific knowledge production have imagined Africa as a place outside of history.

Pr. Alexis Trouillot

Welcome to The Team!

We are delighted to welcome new PhD researchers to UM6P – Center for African Studies (CAS) team!

Amatou Allah MESBAH holds a Master of Research in Political Science from UM6P – Faculté de Gouvernance, Sciences Economiques et Sociales. Her PhD in Anthropology will focus on a microhistory of the Souss region in Morocco, explored through the work of Al Mokhtar Soussi.
Zineb Yadane holds a Master’s degree in Cultural Studies: Cultures, Identities and Nationhood, and completed the Inspire Program by Cultur.Ed – Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique. Her PhD project will examine Morocco’s socio-cultural transformations through everyday practices and interactions, uncovering how subtle cultural gestures reflect broader postcolonial dynamics.

We’re thrilled to have Amatou Allah and Zineb join our team and look forward to the fresh perspectives and valuable contributions they will bring to our research community!

PhD Profiles

UM6P Stars

Professor Ali Benmakhlouf, Director of UM6P – Center for African Studies (CAS) and Co-Director of UM6P – ACPPS, has been elected as a member of the Administrative Council of the International Institute of Philosophy (IIP) during their annual meeting held at the UM6P – University Mohammed VI Polytechnic campus in Benguerir from September 24 to 27.

This honor recognizes his outstanding dedication to advancing philosophical thought and his meaningful contributions to the global academic community.

New Positions FacultyPostdoc

The Center for African Studies (CAS) at UM6P is
expanding its team! We are looking for passionate
researchers and faculty members to contribute to
the study of African history, literature, anthropology,
and urban environments. Join us in shaping the
future of African scholarship.

Faculty Positions

Postdoctoral Opportunities